Windshield



Sept 31), 1924. 31,510,249

A. L. THOMPSON WINDSHIELD Filed Sept. 28. 1 920 Patented ent. 30, i924.

stars earl est ALFRED L. THOMPSON, OF 'WOODBOUR NE, PENNSYLVANIA,

, WINDSHIELD.

e anation filed September as, 1920. Serial no. 413,355.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that fL'ALFREo L. THOMPSON,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of .Woodbourne, county of Bucks, aiid State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improve- .ment in Windshields, of which the follow-' ing is a'specification.

The objectof my invention is to provide,

v provide the ordinary'wind shield with a revolving disc shaped part of transparent ma terialiarranged upon the outside and driven by an electric motor; at a high velocity, whereby the water which would otherwise collect is dissipated :by centrifugal force, thereby maintaining a practically clear sur face. Furthermore, the axle for the revolving disc shaped part is preferably ex- I tended through tlie glass ofthe wind shield and is drivenby "an electric motor which may be adapted to" the purpose inany convenient manner. It is further desirable that. the water flowing down the wind shield shall be diverted from its surface immediately back of the revolving disc or disc shaped part.

My invention also consists of details of construction whiclmtogether with the fea-;

tures. above enumerated are fully described as hereinafter and-more particularly defined in the claims.

\ Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional viewof a Wind shield for automobiles having my inventionapplied thereto; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, with part of the wind shield broken away; ,Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of my invention at the front of the wind shield; Figs. 4: and 5 are respectively; vertical sectional views illustrating modifications of my invention; Fig. 6 is a plan view of another modification; and Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view to show the relation of the disc, the guard, and the' glass of. the

" wind shield.

2 is the frame of the-wind shield, 3 is the lower glass plate thereof, 4 is the upper frame carrying the upper glass plate 5 and pivoted or otherwise sustained at 6. The wind shield may be of anyordinary or suit- .revolves in a plane at right angles to the 8' being journaled in bracket 9 which exabl'e construction. 7 is an electric motor,

secured in position by brackets 9 bolted to -the mam frame 2, said motor having a shaft 8 extending through the glass of the wind shield and carrying at its outer end a disc shaped part 10, clamped at 12 upon the end of the shaft 8 'so as to be removable. lin

Figs. 1, 2, 4: and 6, the shaft 8 is oblique to the horizontal, so that the disc shaped part axis of the shaft, the object of which is to lower. the motor soas to give a greater area of vision and thereby permit of the use of a smaller disc shaped art. In Fig. 5, the shaft 8 is shown horlzontal and the disc shaped part 10 arrangedto rotate in a vertical plane or one which is substantially parallel to the glass 3 and 5 of the wind shield. In Fig. 5, theshaft 8 is supported by' a bracket'll and has a grooved wheel 14 whichsis driven by an endless band 15 and electric motor 7*. In Fig. 6, the shaft 8 is oblique and is driven by motor 7 by shaft 8 and spiral gearing 14*, the shafts 8 and tends from the motor 7 and is adapted for holding the parts in relative positions.

More specifically referring to" Figs. 1, i2 and 3, the disc shaped part 10 is made of dish like construction having the central disk with conical shaped rim 10 The part 10 is preferably made of transparent celluloid so that it is easily molded and is nonbreakable. This construction presents an r exposed arealO of considerable size arranged close to the front of the glass window 5 of the wind shield and through both of Which the chaufi'eur looks for clear vision V, of the street or road ahead. By the obliqb uity of the shaft 8 and resulting lowering of-the motor, there is no obstruction to look ing through the upper half of the disc shaped part 10 and consequently the latter may be made of smaller diameter than would otherwise be necessary. The two plates of glass 3 and 5 of the windshield may be notched where they meet the shaft 8', as indicated at 11, so thatthe shaft may rotate freely without contact therewith. If desired, the notch may be wholly in one of the plates of glass and in fact if more desirable tosuit any particular make of wind shield, the glass may be perforated specially for the shaft.

In the case of Fig. 4, the disc 10 is shown no as a flat circular disc shaped part revolving in a plane inclined to the wind shield; and

in practice the inclination may be less than shown, if so desired.

Any water from rain which falls upon the disc shaped part is thrown off by centrifugal force so that the disc shaped part remains clear to the vision. To prevent ram running down upon'the surface of the class 5' of the wind shield immediately back of the discshaped part, a suitable curved guard or gutter of rubber or other material 13 may be applied to the'glass and held directly-there on or by an extension to the frame 4 of the wind shield, as shown at 13, Fig. 8. By this means, the water will be shed to opposite sides of the area of glass 5 in front of which the disc revolves. This gutter or shield 13 may be made of any suitable construction so long as it keeps the water from objectionably blearing the surface of the glass. s l

Referring to Fig. 6, the disc shaped part 10 is made to revolve in a plane which 1s oblique to the vertical plane when looking downward and in this manner the water thrown ed by the perimeter of the disc shaped part is caused to escape to one side of the line of vision through glass 5 of the wind shield. As another mode of driving the disc shaped part, I have shown the motor 7* with a lon shaft 8 arranged to drive the shaft 8 by spiral gears 1 1. The bracket 9 supports the parts in position. This same mode of driving the disc shaped part may be employed in lieu of that shown in Figs t and 5, if so desired.

, asth'e same are susceptible of modification from the spirit or scope of the invention.

in various particulars without departing 1. An automobile wind shield, combined,

with a shaft extending through the glass back of the disc shaped part.

andwholly between it and the wind shield glass to prevent the rain water flowing down over the Wind shield surface immediately 3. An automobile wind shield, combined with a shaft extending through the glass portion. of the same, a transparent disc shaped part secured to the shaft in front ofv the glass of the wind shield, means for sup-v porting and rotating the shaft including a bearing for the shaft independent of and arranged wholly to the rear of the glass of the wind shield, wherein the Windshield glass is provided with a rain gutter device arranged adjacent to the upper portion of the disc shaped part and wholly between it and the wind shield glass to prevent rain water flowing down-over the wind shield surface immediately back of the disc shaped part,

and wherein .further, the gutter device is in curved form and fixedly held in position close against the wind shield glass and having its groove opening upward and extending to opposite sides of tlie'disc shaped part so as to drain the water beyond the perimeter thereof.

t. The invention according to claim 1,

wherein the shaft is arranged obliquely to the plane of the glass of the wind shield and the disc shaped part rotates in a plane obliquely arranged to said glass and. at right angles to the shaft.

5.'An automobile wind shield, combined with a shaft extending through the glass I -wholly to the rear of the glass of the wind shield, said shaft arranged obliquely to the plane of the glass of the wind shield and so thatthe disc shaped part carried thereon rotates in a plane obliquely to the glass of the wind shield.

6. The invention according to claim 1,

wherein the means for rotating the shaft is an electric motor supported in position by a bracket extendin from the motor to the frame of the wind shield and said .motor directly associated with the shaft and disc shaped part carried thereby.

7. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the wind shield is formed with two glass plates overlapping each other and at their overlapping juncture the glass is cut away to forman opening through whichthe shaft extends.

8. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, the shaft is arranged obliquely to the glass of the wind shield and the disc shaped part consists of a central portion secured to the shaft and having its perimeter flaring outwardly in conical shape. shield adjacent to the upper peripheral edge 9. The combination of an automobile wind of the disc sha ed part and wholly between shield, with a disc shaped transparent part it andthe wind shield glass- 10 arranged at the front of the wind shield and In testimony of which invention, I here- 5 close to the glass thereof, means to rapidly unto set iny hand. i

rotate the discshap'ed part, and a rain shield extending out from the glass of the wind T ALFRED L. THOMPSQN. 

